CNC Carved Signs

CNC Carved Signs can be made from any type of wood, plywood, high density urethane (HDU) board, foam, or plastic with letters and graphics carved with a CNC machine.

3D sign saying Greatness Made Here with sculpted woman holding a paint brush and pencil.

Directional Signs

Directional signs will help guide vehicle or pedestrian traffic by pointing them in the right direction.

Directional signs at your entry points and place of business help customers locate you. Your sign can be shaped like an arrow pointing toward the destination. It can be a directory of each business in a building or down a driveway. Wood, HDU, aluminum composite, PVC are some of the materials used for directional signs. Your design can be elaborate with sculpted figures and unique elements or it can be something simple. Making it easy for your customers and guests by giving them directions as they arrive, will always provide a positive lasting impression.

wooden signs hang from a rustic structure

Wood Signs with Carved Letters

Wood signs with carved letters can be far more interesting than painted text alone, and such signs make great gifts for family and friends.

We use a variety of wood for these custom signs. They can have raised letters or letters that are carved down into the wood. The letters can be left natural with a clear coat or oil finish or painted. Wood signs with carved letters are very popular with name signs, address signs and cabin and lodge name signs.

Large wooden sign with raised letters and carved background

Lakeview Retreat sign with carved wood grain texture

The Pine Chalet - solid cedar slab with penetrating oil, v-carved letters and graphic painted black

Painted Wood Signs

Painted wood signs have a history that stretches back centuries. And they are still very popular today.

Because of all the different paints available now, just about any color can be matched to a customer’s specifications. Painted signs can produce a clean, durable finish and create a colorful statement. We make wood signs out of a variety of woods with cedar being the most popular, but we also use redwood, Douglas fir, pine, walnut, maple, oak and more. They may be carved, sandblasted or left flat. Many of our hand painted wood signs have some very intricate design features while others are simple, flat name or directional signs. Painted wood signs can be used indoors or outdoors but may need some regular maintenance if placed outdoors.

Icicle Creek - sandblasted cedar signs 1.5" thick

Lambert - clear coated cedar routed down graphic and lettering painted

Red-Tail Canyon Farm - hand routed Douglas Fir with raised lettering

French Cleat Sign

How to install a sign using a french cleat.

Using a cleat is a nice way to mount a sign to a wall without having visible fasteners. After reading this page and following the tips we hope that you will feel confident in mounting your new sign.

Step 1: Understand what they are and how they work.

The easiest way is probably to look at these photos which are pretty self explanatory.

Or view more french cleat images on Google

Step 2: Get a cleat.

There are several types that you can buy such as this 20″ long kit from Amazon that can hold 200 pounds and is made specifically for dry wall or the smaller 60 pound version.

We often make our own cleats out of wood or plywood. Here are some wooden cleats from Amazon. The thicker the cleat, the farther from the wall your sign will be. We often think it looks nice to have the sign “hover” 3/4″ off the wall.

“Z-clips” is another term that may help when searching for the best option to buy.

Step 3: Install it.

Generally, even large heavy signs only require one cleat. Well, we call it “one” cleat but technically it’s a 2-part cleat (one goes on the wall and one goes on the back of the sign). The cleat should be at least half as wide as the sign. If your sign is 24″ wide, we suggest the cleat be at least 12″ long.

The cleat should be about two thirds of the way up the sign. Not at the tippy top but definitely not near the bottom. That allows gravity to do it’s job and hopefully the sign will hang plumb and not lean back and touch the wall at any point.

Sometimes on larger signs you will need an additional spacer near the bottom of the sign because the bottom of the sign will want to lean back and touch the wall. The spacer should be the same thickness as the cleat.

It’s important that the cleat be installed on the wall level and facing the right direction. And it’s important that the cleat on the back of the sign is mounted level (parallel) to the sign.

The sign simply hangs on the cleat and is held on by gravity alone. If your sign will be in a windy location, or if you are concerned with earthquakes or theft, then the sign will need to be “locked” in place.

One easy way to do that is to send one trim screw, available from Amazon or hardware stores, through the face of the sign (after it’s installed) and into the wall. You’ll need to hit something solid in the wall like a wood stud. Or if you use a wooden cleat you can screw into that. Trim screws are nice because of their small heads. It can often be hidden in an inconspicuous part of the sign such as a knot (if it’s a wooden sign).

Another method to “lock” your sign in place is to attach something above your sign after it’s installed so that it can’t lift up and off such as a screw or nail or trim board.

Good luck!

Wood Finishes

What is the best clear coat finish to put on your wood sign?

Well, it depends on a few factors but let us try to get you an answer.

Will it be outside in the rain, snow, and sun? Will it be outside but under cover and little to no direct sunlight? Is low maintenance important? Is it important to you that the clear coat is “clear” and does not tint the wood orange?

Here is a list a few different clear coats that are often used for signs.

• Water based polyurethane

• Water based spar urethane

• Oil based spar urethane

• Penetrating oil

• Shellac

• Varnish

• Epoxy Resin

The best two types of clear coats for wooden signs that we’ve tested for outdoor use are:

Oil based spar urethane – Build up multiple layers of this clear finish to help preserve the color of the wood. It will yellow some and it will need re-coated every few years but it’s better than most of the alternatives we’ve tested.
Penetrating oil – A couple coats of a penetrating oil will soak into the wood and repel moisture while retaining a nice natural look. Re-coat every few years to keep the wood from turning grey and dark. UV protection and mildew resistance are good things to look for when choosing a penetrating oil. One brand we like is Ready Seal.

The major difference between the two options is that one sits on top and looks like a clear film and the other penetrates into the wood and therefore will not flake off if maintenance is neglected.

For indoor use we prefer:

Water based polyurethane – It’s easy to apply and give a nice protective clear finish.
Oil – We like teak oil, or Danish oil, or Odies Oil for an easy wipe on natural finish.

For building up a thick clear coat for interior signs we like to use an epoxy resin such as Dr. Crafty or West System.

There is a vast rabbit hole of information out there but hopefully this at least gives you a starting point. Have a look at some of our wooden signs to see clear coats in action.

Custom Wooden Name Signs

Custom Wooden Name Signs are made from a variety of wood types. We can carve, laser engrave and sandblast your sign. Our signs can be cut in unique shapes or carved with a custom design. For a finishing touch we can lightly burn, paint, stain, oil finish or clear coat your sign. They are great for home address signs, an indoor or outdoor name sign or business sign because they are unique.

V-Carved Signs

V-carved signs are made from a variety of materials including wood and HDU.

V-carving is the action of carving with a v-shaped bit to generate designs that can have varied width. The unique shape of v-bits create grooves that are narrow at the deepest part of the carve (created by the pointed tip of the bit) and wider at the top of the material. Often these signs will have paint or stain applied, or have the carving or the area around the carving burnt slightly, or the letters can be left natural with a clear coat or oil finish.

V-carving is a lower cost option than 3D carving with raised letters but still has a beautiful dimensional look.

Incised Carved Signs

Incised carved signs are often referred to as v-carved signs and can be made from a variety of materials including wood and HDU.

We hand carve or CNC carve the letters down into the material so they are recessed to create an incised sign. This is often done with a v-shaped router bit but can also be done with a rounded ball nose bit or a flat end mill router bit. Creating lines or groves for the graphics and letters make for a sharp and beautiful look. Customers can use these signs indoors or outdoors if properly finished and maintained.

Large wooden sign with carved down letters

Krampus-Kave---hand-painted-MDO-plywood-with-hand-carved-HDU-figure

Andreas-Keller---carved-cedar-circle,-HDU-scroll-with-gold-leafed-lettering

Siri & Fletcher - v-carved cedar torch burnt

Love - black stained plywood sign with shallow carved letters

Wood sign with straight cut incised letters.

Wood Signs with Raised Letters

Wood signs with raised letters are made from any type of wood and are hand carved or routered.

We can use a variety of wood for these custom signs. The background of the sign is actually carved away allowing the letters or graphics to be raised. Often customers want a paint or stain applied or the letters are left natural with a clear coat or oil finish. Customers can use these signs indoors or outdoors with proper care. These signs are a unique look adding depth and texture.

Red-Tail-Canyon---Hand-routed-Douglas-Fir-sign

Hard Roe to Hoe - 1.5" thick cedar with carved chisel texture background and raised letters

Bavarian Bistro & Bar - Douglas Fir with chisel texture finished with penetrating oil

H sign - CNC router carved cedar with recessed area painted black

Carved HDU Signs

Carved HDU signs are extremely versatile.

Carved HDU signs are done by hand or CNC router. HDU is perfect for creating dimensional signs because it weighs less and won’t warp or crack like wood. As a result, your sign will have a longer lifespan. And HDU signs don’t fade like wood so you don’t have to repaint as often. Our HDU signs can feature smooth or textured backgrounds. You also have a choice of different thicknesses. A custom HDU sign is cost effective but gives you strong visual appeal for a business, lodge or home.

We carved this sign with the CNC router making the letters and graphics raised. We gave it a nice chiseled background. Our artist hand painted the center from a photograph given to us by the customer.

Carved HDU sign with chisel background with hand painted scenery

This next sign was carved entirely on the CNC router and it has a chiseled background texture. We gave it some dimension with a combination of raised and carved down text and graphics. And it was hand painted by one of our talented artists.

The 3D sign was carved on the CNC router and also by hand. We gave the “bear” texture and a very active feel. Along with hand painting, gold leaf was applied to some of the text. It is a very eye-catching sign.

Baren Haus - hand carved HDU bear painted bronze, HDU scroll with raised letters